“I’ve seen herthree times, mate. There are no feelings to communicate.” Eli raises a doubtful eyebrow, not fooled by my attempt to get him off my back. “She isn’t on my mind, Elijah. Let it go.”
“I mean… she should be. I’ve seen the pictures. She’s one sexy—” Whatever look I give him makes him stop the joke he’s about to utter. His following smirk tells me it was a trap, and I fell headfirst into it. “There you go. I knew it was about her. So, what? She’s special?”
Knowing he won’t let it go until I give him something, I sigh and stare at the phone. “I don’t know. I thought I knew women. But this one… I can’t figure her out.”
“Of course you can’t. You never fuck around with sophisticated career-driven women.”
Maybe that’s it. She’s just a new flavor in a world where I already know them all. Once I get my fill of her, she’ll become like any other woman—a taste I know all too well that blends with the rest. Then, I’ll be able to move on, and things will return to normal.
“Will you see her again?” Eli asks.
“We have an arrangement.”
“What kind?”
“I’m not sure exactly how it’ll work, but we’ll keep fucking.”
There’s a moment where he doesn’t ask anything more, studying me with interest instead. I’ve known him and Killian for thirteen years now, and we all know one another too well for our own good.
“Not gonna lie,” Eli starts, not masking how entertaining he finds my predicament, “it’s fun to see you like this. When I found Jessica, I knew she would drive you mad, but I didn’t think it would be that way. This is much better.”
Fucker.
“Her name’s Genevieve—Gen,” I finally correct him. Since I’ll supposedly see more of her in the future, I might as well set this right.
“Ah! I knew she wasn’t a Jessica. She’s not a Genevieve either though,” he adds pensively.
“I think she’s old money, so it suits her.”
“Hmm. I feel like she should be an Ariel, or a Lola, or a Roxane.”
“I truly fear the day you’ll have to name a newborn. Now, get the fuck out so I can finish these fucking reports.”
“I think I’ll hang out here with you two. My office is boring.”
“Don’t you have work to do?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Got everything I need right here,” he replies, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
“Wanker.”
“I prefer marketeer extraordinaire, thank you very much.”
I shake my head with a smile, watching as he focuses on his phone to work his magic. The dynamics of our little trio turned fraternal a while ago. Elijah and Killian might as well be blood to me, and we give each other shit like any brothers would. Eli is a genius at what he does, and we have him to thank for the popularity of The Devil’s Court and The Parlour. But since a lot of his work happens sprawled on a couch while he’s on his phone, the joke that he’s a lazy twat sticks around.
Eventually, I manage to return to my accounting problems, and Eli being there somewhat helps. Even though we don’t speak, I’m aware of his presence, and it’s as though my brain refuses to think of Gen with him in the room.
This goes on for maybe half an hour until my phone vibrates. I’m too eager when I check it, so Elijah sits up to look at me. “Is that her?”
It is. She sent me her list. “Mind your own shit,” I tell my friend, impatiently reading the first items. He lies back on the couch with a mumble.
Reading this is a terrible idea because I’m rock-hard under my desk before I even reach the twentieth line. With every item I read, images of Gen and I flash into my mind. I envision myself doing these things to her, seeing the potential in each and every entry. I’m feeling hot, my dick aching by the time I read it all.Fucking hell.
When my boner recedes just enough to leave some blood for my brain, I text her back.
Me
I only see 39 things.
